Picker check strap



Jan. 19, 1954 v, vn' 2,666,455

PICKER CHECK STRAP Filed Nov. 21, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTO ./4wz'w- Grazia 5ft HTTORNEY Jan. 19,' 1954 V. GRAVITT PICKER CHECK STRAPFiled Nov. 21, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 20 6 I o a 2/ f d i l I ?0 20 2/ l;z 2 1 i l K a II E 8. I 2 7 4 ?6 33 27 28 24 1 ffifi O d O 9. 28 24 26 vI h I INVENTQR. [La 1'01 Gray l ii Patented Jan. 19, 1954 UNITED STATESTENT OFFICE PICKEB cnEcK STRAP Application November 21, 1950, Serial No.196,759

This invention relates to looms of the type having a reciprocatingshuttle operated by a picker stick, and, more particularly, to a checkstrap for the picker stick.

In the ordinary loom construction the move ment of the picker stick ischecked in each direction by a strap, the ends of which are broughttogether and secured by a suitable clamp attached to the loom frame,other portions of the strap being held in position by suitable guides.The strap is thus given the general form of a relatively .flat ellipsesurrounding the picker stick. The picker stick, whichis pivoted on theloom frame at some distance below the shuttle guide, swings back andforth within the elliptically formed check strap.

The main object of the present invention is to provide a loomincorporating a novel check strap and strap guide rod which is fixed tothe shuttle guide of the loom, said guide rod having its respective endsbent inwardly at an angle to act as stops for the check strap. lhe checkstrap embodies a strip of leather having openings in its respective endswhereby the same is mounted on the rod for free reciprocatory motionand,-.further and moreimportant, the check strap has some rotary orangular motion with respect to the rod whereby, when the end portion ofthe check strap is engaged by the picker stick, the check strap willrotate slightly on the rod, the inner surface of the strap therebytaking the same inclination as the side, surface of the picker stickwhereby wear on the check strap is greatly reduced.

A further object of the invention provides a fixed rod mounted on theshuttle guide, the rod being bent to form a loop at its center portion,whereby the same can be attached as by a clamp to the bracket which isfixed to the shuttle'guide,

the respective ends of the rod being bent at a ninety degree angle toform a stop for the respec tive ends of the check strap.

A furtherobject of the invention incorporates a check strap made up oftwo leather straps or belting, one being longer than the other, the

shorter one fitting within the longer one, and dur- .of the rod when thecheck strap is moved to either 10 Claims. (Cl. 139-165) of its extremepositions and thereby act as wear strips for the check strap.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent when taken inconnection with the accompanyin drawings, in which Fig. l is a view inside elevation illustrating certain parts of the picker mechanism of aloom, having a check strap of a single thickness embodying thisinvention applied thereto;

Fig. 2 is a view in side elevation illustrating certain parts of thepicker mechanism of a loom, having a check strap of double thickness,that is a check strap formed of two different length strap members,embodying this invention applied thereto;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the picker mechanism taken substantiallyon the line 3-3 of Fig. 2 and showing the check strap in its extremerighthand position;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 showing the check strap moved to itsextreme left-hand position;

Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the inner strap member of the check strap;

Fig. 6 is a top plan view of the outer check strap member;

Fig. '7 is a side View of the strap shown in Fig. 6 showing thereinforcing members mounted at the respective ends of the outer checkstrap: and

Figs. 8 and 9 show a modified form of a check strap guide rod in whichthe respective inner portions thereof are welded together to form acentral loop rather than being looped as in the construction shown inthe other figures.

Referring specifically to the drawings, in which like numerals have beenapplied to indicate similar parts throughout the various views, theinvention is shown as applied to the picker mechanism of a loomcomprising a fixed shuttle guide indicated at c, including a shuttle lwhich is adapted to be mounted for reciprocating movement on the shuttleguide, and a picker stick 8 which is pivoted to the loom frame at apoint not shown for reciprocating movement, said picker stick includinga contact block 9 mounted thereon for engagement with the shuttle l.

A bracket I 0 is fixed as by screws H to the shuttle guide 5, thebracket 20 terminating in an end i2 which is provided with an opening toreceive a bolt 3 and a nut M. A check strap guide rod 4 5 is bent toform at its middle-portion a loop llithrough which the bolt 53 isadapter to pass, whereby the guide rod for the check-strap is adapted tobe rigidly mounted to'the bracket 3 l and thereby fixed to the shuttleguide 6 of the loom.

In Fig. 1 the guide rod I is shown as fixedly mounted to the bracket I0,the guide rod i5 having mounted thereon a single thickness leather checkstrap l1 and, as will be seen, the check strap has been moved, as by thepicker stick 8, to its extreme right-hand position, the strap I! havingbeen moved along the rod iii and the strap having been slightlyangularly rotated. whereby A the inner surface thereof has taken thesame inclination as the surface of the picker stick.

However, the preferred embodiment of the invention includes a doublethickness of check strap as illustrated in Fig. 2, the inner ply ofwhich is shown at 8 and the outer ply of which is shown at [9. Each ofthe check strap elements has punched therein at its respective ends ahole member 20, which, of course, is adapted to mount the guide rod 25.The outer check strap is provided with a reinforcing member 2| whichengages with the inturned ends 22 of the guide rod I5.

Likewise as illustrated in Fig. 2, the check strap at its end portionhas angularly moved with respect to the guide rod l5 so as to take aninclination exactly the same as that of the side of the picker stick 8whereby wear on the strap is greatly reduced. Also, the reinforcingstrip acts as a wear strip when the strap is moved against the rod stop22. In the reciprocation of the check strap, as seen in Fig. 2, therespective plies l8 and IQ of the strap are caused to move, one withrespect to the other in friction contact with each other, the frictionbetween the two straps increasing as the check strap approaches eitherof its extreme right or left hand positions, said friction between thetwo straps thereby setting up a considerable amount of braking actionwhich has the result of braking the check strap movement when the sameis reaching either of its extreme positions. Also the reinforcing strips2! bear against the guide rod to provide braking action. This isparticularly so as to the particular reinforcing strip 2| which isremote from the end of the check strap which is being actuated by thepicker stick (see Fig. 3). In other words, the pull on the strap l8rocks the strip 2! at the trailing end of the strap into firm bearingengagement with rod 55.

In the modified form of the guide rod for the check strap, as indicatedin Figs. 8 and 9, the same, comprises two like half members 23 and 25,each half member having its inner end turned inwardly as indicated at 25and the said respective ends being Welded as indicated at 26 to eachhalf member to thereby form a loop 21 for the accommodation of the bolt[3 for supporting the guide rod in position upon the loom. Therespective outer ends of the guide rods 23 and 24 are turned at an angleof ninety degrees to form stop members 2'! and 28 for the check strap,not shown.

In the modified construction illustrated in Figs. 8 and 9 and referringspecifically to Fig. 8, it will be seen that the respective end members21 and 28 are off-set with respect to each other, said offset endsproviding for easier rotation or angular movement of the check strapduring the reciprocation thereof.

As best seen in Figs. 1 and 2, it will be readily recognized that whenthe picker stick a engages the check strap IT or I8, that immediatelyupon engagement of the picker stick with the check strap, the checkstrap rotates or is angularly inclined to some extent upon the guide rodI5 whereby the same takes the same inclination as that of the pickerstick. Therefore, because of this feature of rotation or angularmovement of the check strap there is a great deal less wear at the endportion of the check strap which normally receives the greatest wear.And, of course, in addition, the braking action created by the frictionbetween the inner and outer straps tends to retard the movement thereofin consequence of which there is much less breakage of the check strapwhere the greatest wear occurs.

It will, therefore, be seen that the invention provides for a muchsmoother operation of the check strap and its braking effect, providesfor longer life of the check strap and much less adjustment isnecessary. Further, in the event of a broken check strap or a worn checkstrap the parts can be very easily replaced simply by removing the nut il from the bolt l3 whereby the guide rod l5 can be dismantled from theloom and the check strap can be slipped over the respective rod ends 22whereby the check straps can be readily removed and readily replaced onthe guide rod if and when desired and necessary.

While the preferred construction of the invention is illustrated, it isnot intended that the same should be limited thereto but is capable ofmodification within the scope of the following claims. It will beapparent from an inspection of Figs. 1-4, inclusive, of the drawingsthat the stops 22 are not necessary. For instance, when the strap isactuated to the right as shown in Figs. 1-3, inclusive, the left handend of the strap engages the mounting loop portion IE (or 25, Figs. '7and 8) of the rod so as to limit travel of the opposite, or pickerstick-actuated end of the strap, short of the end of the rod. Suchpicker stick-actu-= ated end of the strap binds on the rod as shown, soas not to be actuated off of same regardless of the presence or absenceof the stops such as 22 in Figs. 1, 2 and 3.

I claim:

, 1. A check strap for looms comprising in combination a guide rod forthe check strap, said guide rod having fastener-receiving means adjacentits center for attachment to the loom, the check strap being slidablyconnected to said rod at opposite sides of said fastener-receivingmeans, and said rod having its ends bent to form stops for the checkstrap.

2. A check strap guide rod for looms, comprising a rod looped at itscenter for attachment to the loom, the ends of the rod being bent toform check strap stops, and a check strap having a hole at each end andbeing slidably mounted on the guide rod.

3. A check strap for looms, comprising plies of flexible leathermaterial consisting of a longer outer ply having secured to its outerend surfaces reinforcing tabs, a shorter inner ply hav-- ing its outersurface in friction contact with the inner surface of the outer ply,each ply having openings in their ends, a guide rod mounted on the loom,said rod having its opposite ends turned at an angle to act as a stopfor the check strap, said check strap mounted on the guide rod for freelongitudinal and angular movement with respect thereto, said check strapforming a loop confining a picker stick of the loom, said strap movingangularly when contacted by the picker stick to present a flush surfacewith the picker stick, said strap reciprocating on the guide rod underaction of the picker stick, and the friction between the inner and outerplies of the strap producing a 5 braking action as the picker stickreaches its limit of outward movement.

4. In a picker stick check strap means for looms, a check strap havingfree ends, a guide rod extending longitudinally of said strap and havingfastener-receiving means intermediate its ends whereby said rod ismountable on a loom, said check strap having means adjacent oppositeends slidably connecting the strap to the rod at opposite sides of saidfastener-receiving means, and the latter, in the operation of the loom,engaging whichever end of the strap that is remote from the picker stickto limit movement of the strap longitudinally of the rod.

5. The combination set forth in claim 1, and said check strap comprisingseparate plies hav ing transverse holes adjacent their ends for thepassage of said rod.

6. In a picker stick check strap means for looms, a check strap havingfree ends, a guide rod extending longitudinally of said strap and havingfastener-receiving means intermediate its ends whereby said rod ismountable on a loom, said check strap having means adjacent oppositeends slidably connecting the strap to the rod at opposite sides of saidfastener-receiving means, and laterally projecting stop means adjacentthe ends of the rod, said stop means engaging and limiting endwisemovement of the proximate strap end under the action of the pickerstick.

7. In a picker stick check strap means for looms, a check strap havingfree ends, a guide rod extending longitudinally of said strap and havingfastener-receiving means intermediate its ends whereby said rod ismountable on a loom, said check strap having means adjacent oppositeends connecting the latter to said rod for both reciprocating slidingmovement and angular turning movement thereon, and laterally projectingstop means adjacent the ends of the rod, said stop means engaging andlimiting endwise movement of the proximate strap end under the action ofthe picker stick.

8. In a picker stick check strap means for looms, the combination of acheck strap comprising separate inner and outer flexible strap membersin substantially contiguous overlying relationship and having free ends,said strap members having alignable holes adjacent said ends, the holesat the opposite ends of said inner strap member being closer togetherthan those of the outer strap member, a guide rod extendinglongitudinally of "said check strap and having its ends projectedthrough the adjacent strap member holes whereby each check strap end isboth slidably and rockably mounted on said guide rod, said guide rodhaving fastener-receiving means intermediate its ends for attachment toa loom, and laterally projecting stop means adjacent the ends of therod, said stop means engaging and limiting endwise movement of theproximate check strap end under the action of the picker stick.

9. The combination set forth in claim 8, and a combined braking andbuifer strip secured to the outer surface of the outer strap member andadjacent the outer edge of the guide rod-receiving hole therein.

10. The combination set forth in claim 6, and a combined braking andbufier strip secured to the outer surface of said check strap adjacenteach end, the means slidably connecting the strap ends to the rodcomprising holes through the strap ends, and said combined braking andreinforcing strip secured to each strap end adjacent the outer edge ofthe adjacent hole.

VICTOR GRAVI'IT.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 1,417,557 Patterson May 30, 1922 1,649,446 Clayton Nov. 15,1927' FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 209,311 Switzerland Apr. 15,1940

